In multi-axle, non-rail-borne motor vehicles, the direction of travel is determined by the position of the wheels relative to one another. Changes in direction are first initiated by a steering movement, as a result of which the positions of the wheels relative to one another are changed. Modern vehicles are expected to offer agility and smooth handling when traveling around bends at low to medium speeds, but also must provide a high level of stability at high speeds. At such high speeds, steering that is too direct can lead to critical or even uncontrollable driving conditions.
Driving performance is thus a function of the speed at which the steering movement takes place, particularly in the case of four-axle and multi-axle vehicles. It is important in this context to find a suitable balance between agility and stability in order to meet the requirements of comfort and safety. This may involve a compromise between a low steering ratio (e.g., for improved agility) and an increased tendency for the vehicle to have an understeering design (e.g., for improved stability at high speeds).
Front-wheel drive vehicles, in particular, may have a limited potential for understeer due to the location of steering gears behind the mid-point of the front wheels. A solution to increase the understeering tendency employs rubber parts within the steering chain, but the rubber parts introduce hysteresis to the steering system that can lead to inaccurate interactions of the steering components.
With this in mind, the object of the present disclosure is to provide improved articulated connections for transferring steering movements to a wheel of the vehicle that can effectively balance agility and stability performance.